Kaymer has renewed confidence at Ryder Cup

• By Randall Mell
• Sep 25, 2012 6:58 PM ET

MEDINAH, Ill. – Europe's Martin Kaymer has some bad news for the Americans.

Struggling much of this year, Kaymer says he found something in his swing the last few weeks that is bringing back some of the confidence he had when he won the PGA Championship in 2010 and climbed to world No. 1.

“I'm very, very happy that it came along just in time for the Ryder Cup and for the next upcoming events for me,” Kaymer, 27, said. “Yeah, it was a big relief.”

Kaymer tied for fifth in his last European Tour start at the Italian Open after a tie for 21^st the week before at the KLM Open.

Off his form this summer, Kaymer’s qualification for the European Ryder Cup team created angst in some circles overseas. After climbing to No. 1 in the world for eight weeks in April of 2011, Kaymer drifted down to No. 21. He missed the cut this summer at the BMW International, British Open and PGA Championship, all big events for him.

Kaymer said his struggles started with his frustration at not being able to hit the draw that so many tee shots require at Augusta National in The Masters. In trying to add a draw to his repertoire, he lost command of his fade. He said he spent so much time on the range this summer trying to find his command again that his hands hurt.

“The feel of the fade was just somewhere sleeping in me,” Kaymer said. “I just needed to wake it up again. I think now it's awake, and the draw is added to my repertoire. So, I'm a more complete player now. It’s still a little shaky, but it just has to come together and I'm ready to go. I'm very happy the way I play golf now.”

Kaymer was 2-1-1 in his Ryder Cup debut in Wales.